Time Out London today announces the winners of its annual Time Out London Eating & Drinking Awards 2012, which recognises the best new bars, destination restaurants, and casual dining venues in the capital. The Delaunay, which takes inspiration from the ’Grand Cafés’ of the Continent, takes the accolade of Best New Restaurant.

All this year’s categories and shortlists reflect a busy year in fast-moving food and drink trends, from street trucks morphing into fully-fledged restaurants, to the boom in brewpubs and barbecue joints.
The Time Out London Eating & Drinking Awards draw on the expertise of the weekly magazine’s reviewers, using their up-to-date industry knowledge to celebrate the best new venues in London. The judges then anonymously visit all of the shortlisted venues to choose the winners.

The winners of Time Out London Eating & Drinking Awards 2012:

• Best New Restaurant – The Delaunay, Aldwych, WC2B
• Best New Cheap Eats – Boqueria Tapas, Brixton, SW2
• Best New Design – Mari Vanna, Knightsbridge, SW1X
• Best New Local Restaurant – Abbeville Kitchen, Clapham, SW4
• Best New No Bookings Restaurant – 10 Greek Street, Soho, W1D
• Best New Meat Restaurant – Tramshed, Shoreditch, EC2A
• Best New Latin American Restaurant – Lima London, Fitzrovia, W1T
• Best New Beer Bar – Crown & Anchor, Brixton, SW9

With a lively bar and culinary scene, the results indicate that Brixton has become destination for casual dining and drinking. The area is home to two winners this year, the Crown & Anchor, which has been awarded Best New Beer Bar, and to Boqueria Tapas, which has won the Best New Cheap Eats category.

Guy Dimond, Food & Drink Editor of Time Out London, comments, “London’s hospitality industry seems to be laughing in the face of recession. Restaurateurs have adapted to changed circumstances by creating no-bookings restaurants, which have faster turnover; with a trend for simpler restaurant food, exemplified by the explosion of meat and barbecue joints; and by embracing more casual drinking venues but with no compromise on the thrill of the drinks offered, which you find in the new craft beer bars. It’s been a great year for going out.”

Tim Arthur, Editor-in-Chief of Time Out London comments, “The capital is brimming with new venues and emerging trends, but 2012 really has been the year of the meat restaurant, with simple menus pleasing hungry diners. The chicken and steak menu at Mark Hix’s Tramshed took the crown in this category this year. We’ve also seen the rise of Peruvian food as Latin American restaurants pop up over the capital. The unusual ceviche dishes at the winning Lima London should not be missed.”

For the full list of this year’s awards, to book restaurants and to get the best eating and drinking recommendations from Time Out’s critics, visit timeout.com/awards2012.

The Time Out London Eating and Drinking 2013 (Time Out London Eating & Drinking) is available from Amazon for a pre=released price of £11.15.